The Cuddling Deficiency
by NerdForestGirl
Summary: Sheldon is alarmed by his sudden wish for physical contact. There is only one person who can help him; Amy Farrah Fowler. Super fluffy one-shot. Shamy.


**A/N: Sometimes when I'm sick I like to write ridiculously fluffy fan fiction. Just enjoy some cuddling.**

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Sheldon was lonely. It was a strange feeling for him because he usually felt like he spent far too much time around others, but still, he knew what he was feeling. Leonard and Penny were away for the weekend. Raj, Howard, and Bernadette were all busy. Plus, in the first time ever, Amy had canceled their date night. As far as he knew, she wasn't busy anymore, but she had been busy on Thursday when he had planned to take her to dinner and a movie. Instead, he had had dinner with Leonard and Penny in his apartment. After listening to them debate some television program about people attempting to find a mate, he vowed to never cancel on Amy again unless there was an emergency.

Now, it was nearly bedtime, and this stupid lonely feeling wouldn't go away. He found himself craving conversation and possibly even the touch of another human being. He shuddered to think of it, but there seemed to be a lingering want for arms around his body. Not just any arms, but those belonging to his girlfriend. He realized he wanted her to hug him. He wanted her to hold him while they watched a movie on the couch, like Leonard and Penny often did.

Sheldon didn't think about calling to make sure Amy was free. Instead he just grabbed his bag and went down to the bus stop. The ride was a short and familiar one, and Sheldon went up to Amy's apartment and knocked. Amy answered soon after.

"Sheldon?" Amy asked even though it was very clear that her boyfriend was standing in front of her. She looked at her watch. "Is everything okay?" She knew it was nearly his bedtime.

"Yes. I just wanted to see you," Sheldon explained.

"Really?" Amy asked, a little flattered. He never said that he just wanted to see her. "Please, come in."

"Thank you," Sheldon said. He walked into her kitchen and put on the kettle without asking for permission. He liked that they were each comfortable enough in each other's homes to do things like this. Then he pulled down the chamomile tea and honey from where she kept them. He doctored them each a cup of tea before bringing them over to her.

"Thanks," Amy said when he handed her the tea. Then Sheldon didn't know what to do. How did one initiate a hug. He had hugged Amy three times, but each of his initiated hugs had been at the end of an evening. Sheldon didn't want to hug Amy goodbye. She was much better and just throwing her arms around him willy nilly. How did she do that? Just hug him without thinking about it for several minutes?

Maybe he could just ask her for a hug. He knew she would oblige him, but he wanted to do this himself. He decided to start with one arm. Sheldon switched his tea to his left hand and put his right hand on his knee. He lifted that hand once before setting it back down on his knee. Then he lifted it again and on his second try, he bent his elbow and rested his cheek on his fist as he listened to Amy tell him a quick funny story about the monkeys in her lab.

It wasn't until she chuckled at her own story that Sheldon straightened his arm and rested it casually on the back of her couch. It was only an inch and a half away from her shoulders. He was so close to his goal. Amy was looking at him strangely, but he just smiled, took a deep breath and moved his arm so that it was resting on Amy's shoulders.

Amy was warm. Sheldon wondered briefly how she was ever comfortable in all of those layers she wore because whenever he did touch her, she was so warm.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Amy asked. It broke Sheldon from his revery. He nodded, but Amy still kept her eyes on him. He knew he was acting strangely, but he didn't want to tell her that he wished she would hold him. Instead, he just used the arm around Amy to pull her a little closer to his body. He wanted to be warm like Amy.

Amy was a little stiff, but then she relaxed into him a little. She still didn't have her arms around him. Still, this was nice. Sheldon just sipped his tea and enjoyed having Amy next to him.

Then Sheldon removed his arm from around Amy. He could tell she was disappointed, but he didn't say anything. Instead he set his tea down on her coffee table and turned to pull the blanket off the back of her couch. He spread it out over the both of them. Leonard and Penny often cuddled under a blanket. Maybe that would help get Amy to wrap her arms around him.

"I was cold," Sheldon explained. It was only half a lie. Once Amy wasn't leaning into him anymore, he did feel a little cold.

Sheldon then put his arm back around Amy. She just leaned into him again. Sheldon couldn't figure out what he was doing wrong. It was frustrating him, and he let out a small sigh. He didn't know why, but Amy looked at him again.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked.

"You won't put your arms around me, and that's the reason I came over here," Sheldon frustratedly admitted.

"Oh. Why didn't you just ask?" Amy said. Sheldon just shrugged, but was pleased when Amy wrapped him in a hug. She didn't ask why he suddenly wanted affection. She didn't ask why he had come over late at night just for a hug. She just held him like he wanted.

"Just let me know if you want me to stop," Amy told him. She put her legs up onto the couch and she was just leaning into his chest with her arms around him.

Sheldon was enjoying her holding him. It felt exactly like he remembered, and it was exactly what he had wanted. He almost forgot about being lonely earlier. She was just so warm and the blanket over them was holding in that warmth. It was just so... pleasant. Sheldon didn't even realized that he was feeling sleepy.

That was until he felt Amy shaking him awake. "Sheldon? Do you want me to drive you home? You fell asleep."

"No," Sheldon said simply. He didn't want to lose the feeling of peace he had with Amy in that moment.

"Well, I would like to go to bed," Amy said.

"Okay," Sheldon said.

"What do you mean, 'okay?'" Amy asked.

"We'll go to bed," Sheldon said.

"So, you do want me to drive you home?" Amy asked.

"No," Sheldon said again.

"Is this some sort of riddle?" Amy asked.

"No. I have pajamas and a toothbrush in the emergency kit I keep in your closet. That way I don't have to go home," Sheldon explained. He knew he was being too bold, but his selfish nature was winning. He didn't want to have to forgo Amy's arms around him while he slept. He hoped this wasn't a permanent change to his nature, but he wanted it tonight.

"So, you want to sleep on my couch?" Amy asked. She looked genuinely confused.

"No," Sheldon said again.

"Why don't you just tell me what you want Sheldon. I'm a little lost," Amy finally said.

"I want to put on my pajamas and brush my teeth and then go to bed with you. I've been enjoying our close physical proximity, so I would like to continue it while we sleep," Sheldon said.

"You want to go to bed with me? And you'd like me to keep holding you?" Amy asked.

Sheldon just nodded.

"Okay," Amy said. She got up and Sheldon started to follow her into her bedroom. "Would you like to change first?" Amy asked. Sheldon nodded again and got his pajamas out of her closet. He walked into her bathroom and carefully brushed his teeth and washed his face before putting on the pajamas.

When Sheldon returned to Amy's room, he saw that she was already in her nightgown. She didn't say anything to him as she walked into the bathroom, but he was certain that she was blushing lightly. It made her look even more pleasing than she normally did. He just stared after her for a moment even after the door to the bathroom was closed. Sheldon thought about getting into bed, but he realized he didn't know if Amy had preferred sleeping side. He knew a lot of things about Amy, but that wasn't one of them.

He was starting to feel cold again without Amy holding him. Sheldon just stood awkwardly in Amy's room until she finally returned. He was staring at her bed. It was bigger than his, but seemed smaller at the same time. Sheldon was starting to question how wise of a plan this was after all. He thought about going to go sleep on the couch. Then he started shivering. How cold did Amy keep her apartment? He never noticed it before, but Sheldon was starting to wonder if he would survive the night without Amy's warmth.

"Do you have a preferred sleeping side?" Sheldon finally asked. Amy had just been standing next to him staring at her bed.

"I typically sleep on the left," Amy said. "However, I'm flexible if you want to sleep there."

"I usually sleep in the middle of my own bed, but I don't know how well that will work with both of us. You are very small, so it might work," Sheldon said.

Amy walked up to her bed and got in on the left side. Then Sheldon walked around to the other side and got in. He moved over until he was very nearly in the middle of it. Then he pulled the blankets all the way up to his chin and put his arms by his sides like he always did at home.

"Do you? Do you still want me to put my arms around you?" Amy asked as she turned toward him.

"Yes, please," Sheldon said nervously. He wanted her warmth again. Even under the covers he felt cold without her touching him.

Amy tentatively put her right hand on Sheldon's arm. When he didn't respond negatively, she put her left arm across his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. "Is this okay?" Amy asked after a few moments. Sheldon didn't answer, so she looked up at him and his eyes were closed with a little smile on his face.

Amy thought Sheldon was so warm. She was always cold. That's why she usually wore so many layers, but she wouldn't have to if she could touch Sheldon all the time. That warmth lulled Amy to sleep.

Sheldon woke up cold again. Amy had let go of him in her sleep. He looked over at her and she was turned away from him. Amy's clock said it was 3:48. Sheldon needed to go back to sleep or he would be a wreck the next day. He decided to just put his arm around Amy. At least she could keep him a little warmer that way. Sheldon turned onto his side and lifted his hand to put it on Amy. Then he stopped because he wasn't sure where it would be okay to put his hand. Her waist seemed like the safest option, so he went with it. The warmth spread through his body quickly and he was able to fall back asleep.

Amy woke with Sheldon wrapped around her. He had his arm wrapped around her waist, his face was buried in her hair and his leg was casually thrown over both of hers. It was like she was trapped in a very warm, soft, good smelling cage. Amy just lay there for a while enjoying Sheldon's warmth. Then the cage started stirring. Sheldon pulled Amy even tighter into his chest before he suddenly wasn't touching her at all. All of his limbs retracted at once and she couldn't feel him breathing into her hair anymore.

Amy turned to Sheldon. "Is everything okay?" she asked him. He nodded. Amy rolled over and put her arm back around Sheldon.

"Please, Amy," Sheldon said and he started pulling out of her grip.

"Oh," Amy said sadly. "Last night was a one time thing, wasn't it?"

"I don't know," Sheldon said honestly. He didn't like needing other people. It was fine to have Leonard drive him places, but he didn't like the way needed Amy. She was important to him in a way that he couldn't understand.

"Do you want some breakfast, or would you like to just go home now?" Amy asked. Sheldon could tell she was still sad about his reaction.

"Cereal?" Sheldon asked. Amy nodded and got up to get it for him. He shook his head and pointed to her couch. Amy shrugged and sat on her own couch, but turned around to look at Sheldon. He pulled down two bowls and filled them with cereal. Then he poured milk into them and a couple of glasses of orange juice. Then he put them all on a tray that he found and brought all of it over.

"Thank you," Amy said when Sheldon gave her the cereal. She ate it slowly while Sheldon watched Doctor Who on her television. When he was done with his cereal, Sheldon put his bowl on the coffee table and leaned back on the couch. Without thinking about it, he put his arm around Amy again.

"Uh oh," he said to himself when he noticed.

Amy looked at him shyly, but then, surprisingly, he just sort of shrugged and left his arm where it was. "I guess we do this now," he said. Then he pulled Amy closer to him.


End file.
